Title
Staff Report for Resolution Amending Section IV of the City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook, Related to Requests by Members of the Council to Schedule Agenda Items
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
To refine the process used by Councilmembers to request items for consideration on the City Council agenda, staff recommends Council adopt a resolution, amending Section IV of the Councilmembers Handbook, to add a new section to the City Council agenda, entitled “Council Requests to Schedule Agenda Items”.
BACKGROUND
Section IV of the City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook contains the following paragraph:
“REQUESTS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO SCHEDULE AGENDA ITEMS
Any item raised as a future agenda item at one of its regular meetings by a Council Member will, by consensus of the Council, be referred to staff for placement on an upcoming Council agenda (Work Session or regular Council Meeting) or Council Committee agenda. The Presiding Officer will ask Council members to indicate their interest in considering the item, then announce whether or not there is consensus to schedule the item on a future agenda.”
Staff would like to assist the City Council in the scheduling and managing of their public meetings. A proposed new section of the agenda, entitled “Council Requests to Schedule Agenda Items”, is intended to create smoother work flow, and to allow the Council a specific time to propose agenda items in a more formal manner.
Analysis
Many cities have a process in place to allow Councilmembers to request items for placement on the Council agenda.
As with our current process, some cities allow the member to make the request verbally during a specified portion of the agenda. The Council, by consensus of a majority of the members, approves the item for placement on a future agenda. As the requested item is not agendized, a formal vote cannot be taken and consensus is requested instead.
Other cities require that a request be made in writing, and submitted in sufficient time to be placed on the Council agenda. During the specified portion of the agenda, the item is considered and a vote is taken. If the item receives an affirmative vote by a majority of the Council, it is scheduled for a future agenda.
Current Agency Policies
• Section IV, City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook.
Fiscal Impacts
None.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
PREPARED BY: Marian Handa, City Clerk, City Manager’s Office